November 19 to November 25, 2020
CONSIDER THIS
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arvin Etzioni has been a fixture on the L.A. music scene for over 40 years. Born in Brooklyn, he grew up in Los Angeles and took to music early on. Even before he began attending Kindergarten, he was already collecting ‘45s. Around the same time, his beloved Zayde (that’s Yiddish for grandfather), introduced him to Country music, igniting a lifelong passion. Marvin made his bones playing drums and singing in the band Prudence Goodbody, a few years later he was fronting The Model, a sharp combo that shared stages with other up-and-coming bands like the Plimsouls and the Motels. It was then that he forged a solid friendship with Plimsoul leader Peter Case. By the early ‘80s, the sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles was host to myriad music scenes, Punk Rock continued to flourish, Hair Metal was making headway and bands like X, the Blasters and Los Lobos adopted the D.I.Y. ethos of Punk, but managed to explore the more homegrown sounds of Blues, Country and Norteno. Marvin was eking out a living as solo artist when he met a young guitarist named Ryan Hedgecock. Ryan, along with vocalist Maria McKee shared Marvin’s affection for Country music. The pair wrapped their symbiotic harmonies around Hillbilly classics and pretty soon, Marvin was encouraging them to write their own songs. He went from mentoring them, to joining the fledgling duo on bass. When ex-Emmylou Harris/ Hot Band drummer, Don Heffington came on board, Lone Justice was born. Gigging around town, the band quickly gained a passionate fan base that included well-known admirers like Dolly Parton, Bob Dylan and Linda Ronstadt, as well as Tom Petty and assorted Heartbreakers. Signed to Geffen Records, they were heavily hyped as the next big thing Of course, Maria became the focal point, the younger sister of L.A. legend Bryan MacLean (part of the celebrated Sunset Strip Baroque/Psychedelic outfit Love, they gained notoriety alongside The Doors and The Byrds), she grew up surrounded by music. Her protean vocals were favorably compared to Dolly, Emmylou, Linda and Janis Joplin. That was a lot to live up to. The band’s self-titled debut was produced by Jimmy Iovine, and he nearly smothered their bare-bones sound with bombastic touches that seemed de rigueur in the mid ‘80s. Despite nearly unanimous critical acclaim, and a coveted spot opening for U2, ultimately, their sound was deemed too Country for the Rock crowd and too Rock & Roll for traditional Country fans. Marvin, Ryan and Don quit the band and Maria soldiered on with different musicians on one more record. But by 1987, Lone Justice was done. Marvin quickly landed on his feet, having mastered myriad string instruments, he became an in-demand session player. By the early ‘90s he released three
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THE MOOD OF THE COUNTRY NOW?” (REGIONAL RECORDS) MARVIN ETZIONI “WHAT’S BY ELENI P. AUSTIN
excellent solo albums in quick succession; “Mandolin Man,” “Bone” and “Weapons Of The Spirit.” Each achieved critical acclaim and received airplay on a new radio format dubbed Triple A (Adult Album Alternative), as well as venerable independents like KCRW. For the next couple of decades, Marvin successfully toggled between making his own music, session work and production gigs. As a sideman, he’s played with a who’s-who of musicians like Bob Dylan, Lucinda Williams, Lily Hadyn, Lisa Loeb, Victoria Williams, Grey Delisle, Dixie Chicks, Sam Phillips and the Williams Brothers. He has produced albums from Toad The Wet Sprocket, Peter Case and Counting Crows, and he’s also shared stages with everyone from T-Bone Burnett, and Norah Jones to Keith Richards. Recently, he released the double album, “Marvin County,” which included duets with a surfeit of superstars like Steve Earle, Lucinda, Richard Thompson, Maria McKee, John Doe and Buddy Miller. In 2016, he partnered with old pal, and former Balancing Act front-man, Willie Aron to form Thee Holy Brothers. The duo created “My Name Is Sparkle” a soulful song-cycle that echoed sacred efforts like George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass” and Pete Townshend’s “Who Came First.” Recently, Marvin started his own label, Regional Records. Back in the early ‘90s, Regional was slated to become a subsidiary imprint of Virgin Records. But a label shakeup scuttled those plans. 2020 seemed like the right time to resurrect the idea in Indie form. The label’s inaugural release is also
his fifth solo effort, “What’s The Mood Of The Country Now?.” Several of the songs on the album have existed in various stages of completion for years, Marvin has just been waiting patiently for the puzzle pieces to fit. The album unfolds quietly with the opening cut, “Every Breathing Soul.” Part pocket
Spiritual, part mantra, part invocation and part campfire sing-a-long, this acapella gem delivers one potent message; “Every breathing soul needs to live in peace.” Some of the songs here feature vocalist Sy Smith. The critically acclaimed singersongwriter has released several of her own albums, played with Acid Jazz progenitors the Brand New Heavies and Chris Botti. She has also sung back-up for everyone from Sheila E., Usher, Meshell Ndegeocello and Whitney Houston, as well as performing on TV series like “Monique” and “Ally McBeal.” She first appears on “God Bless The Homeless,” this song was originally written 35 years ago and Marvin performed it at a benefit featuring a stellar Greek chorus that included Jackson Browne, the GoGo’s and Mick Fleetwood on drums, sadly, the lyrics still resonate, since the homeless population has only increased since then. Spatial and static-y instrumentation is powered by a pulsating rhythm, wiry bass lines, serpentine guitars and fluttery mandolin. The arrangement lands somewhere between the Clash’s “Know Your Rights” and “White Lines,” the iconic Rap classic from Grandmaster Flash. Marvin and Sy’s vocals intertwine as they address an out-of-touch bureaucracy; “Hey Mr. President, this country is cracking at the seams/ How long must our children sleep without shelter in the streets.” As the intensity accelerates, spiky guitars collide with skronky horns and buttery mandolin before the lyrics deliver a few more home
Photo by Tommaso Di Ciommo
